The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-01
Why People go Mad.

DR.. Talcott. the superintendent of one
of the New York insane asylums, has
recently made public some very Interests.
ing facts and figures connected with in.
sanity, its causes and prevention.
The doctor says that sin 1850 there
was one insane person in 1,545 of native,
and one in 1885 Of foreign birth in the
population of this country. In 1880 the
ratio was one insane in 662 of native
birth, and one in ESQ Of foreign birth"
s. It will be seen from these figures that
unless something is done to check the
progress of insanity our. people will have
to be fenced in or locked up. in the
course Of a. few generations. -:
s sThe causes of insanity thessdoctor
ascribes to our modern system of educa.
tion, early rising, tobacco, alcohol, hard
work, gluttony, late hours and exciting
amusements. He says that our schools
destroy the mental and sphysical health
ofthe pupils andaturn them into imbe:
Giles. = Of early rising ne says:
"This habit was originally formed or
forced By our Puritan forefathers in New
England, Probably many.of us can re-
member the rude shocks by which we
were awakened, when youngsters, early
in the morning, and before our brains
and bodies we're sufficiently recuperated
by sleep from the exhaustions and ex-
citements of The previous day. Some of
US can remember that rousing old COM
mand SECT up, now, right away, or you
can't have any breakfast !"
"There was command, coupled with
a threat, and applied in such 9 manner
as to kindle.iu the heart of the sleeping
lion (or rather. boy) the fierce fires Of g
stubborn resistance. The inalienable
rights Of growing boyhood had been in
vaded, and the hot, burning passion tof
anger was excited in the heart Of the
boy at the very outset of another days
experience. When reused from sleep by
such asstartlingI injunction, the boyish
victim remained 'as. mad as 9 March
hare all day. A, peremptory command
to get up Mhenione's sleep is as yet un.s
finished is command which grinds the
soul, curdles the blood, sWells the spleen,
upsets all good intentions, and disturbs
for an entire day the mental activities of
a boy Just as tornado disturbs and
levels With advancing ruin 9 forest Of 't'
mighty pines"
GA person who wakens suddenly,
shakes himself and jumps out Of bed as
if no were struck by lightning will Ger.
tainly5 ipjure bis own brain il he con.
tinuss that habit for q sufficient length
Of time. The sudden filing Of the blood
vessels BY too sharp activity after waking
will in time produce relaxation, or pos
sibly rupture, in the walls Of the cerebral
vessels. a person should waken himself
slowly, aud should rest a short time after
waking, indulging in some light, general
mental operation, just enough to stimu-
late to normal activity the brain force
before he rises fromrecumbent position"
But isolation and seclusion are just as
bad as early rising. People who look on
the bright side of life and seek compan-
ionship rarely go mad. 49,
Ills Disappointing -to2be told thatlthe
only way of preventing insanity is TO-
systematically train, educate and
strengthen properly the.p physical, mental
and moral forces Of the young" Ia an
age when the young are almost entirely
turned. over to the State for intellectual
and moral education it is difficult to see
how the proper training can be secured.
DR.. Talcott's declaration that no case of
insanity should ever be considered
chronic or incursble will gladden. the
hearts Of many. In his opinion judicious
treatment will cure most Of the cases
that are generally pronounced hopeless.